The invention relates to a headrail for window coverings of the type that have a roller shade and a corded shade, such window coverings being known as double shades.
There are several types of window coverings available. Roller shades usually have a spring-loaded roller that is mounted on brackets near the top of a window frame. A panel of material is wound onto the roller such that the material can be unrolled to cover the window. Insulated roller shades are available that are quilted with spun batting or foam. This type of shade is more energy efficient but it is bulky and tends to wrinkle. Both types of roller shades have a flat look and are not considered to be as aesthetically pleasing as the full, undulating, multifaceted look provided by drapes, pleated shades or roman shades.
Another type of shade utilizes a pleated panel of material where cords pass through apertures in the material and support the bottomrail. There may be a single layer of material or the panel could be a honeycomb structure. This type of shade is available in a variety of fabrics and materials ranging from opaque to very sheer.
Yet another type of corded shade has a fabric made of a large variety of materials including woven cloth, knitted fabric, non-woven fabric and films, as well as grasses and wood slats woven into fabric-like layers which materials may vary from opaque to sheer. Often rings are connected to the fabric-like layers and cords travel through those rings along the length of the shade. The shade folds in a roman fashion as the layers are raised by the cords.
Sometimes two types of window coverings will be used on the same window. It is common to provide a roller shade and drapery for the same window. In such installations the roller shade and the drapery are hung independently on separate hardware.
In my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,205,334 and Des. 348,371 I disclose a double layer shade in which a roller shade and a pleated shade are hung on a single headrail. This combination provides a more energy efficient window covering and fits in a very compact space. However, roller shades are difficult to install properly so that they roll up evenly and the counter balance springs needs to be adjusted at installation. Enclosing the roller completely makes it more difficult to install and adjust properly. Should it become necessary to replace the roller shade or the pleated shade the entire headrail must be removed from its bracket and disassembled. This is a time consuming procedure that is very difficult for an average consumer to perform. Consequently, there is a need for a headrail for double shades that is easy to install, to assemble and to disassemble.
I provide a double shade which is made up of two separate assemblies. A roller shade assembly that is attached to the wall with brackets and a corded shade assembly that is attached to the roller shade assembly. Preferably, the wall brackets can have an extension that can be used to attach the corded shade assembly to the roller shade assembly, but a separate clip or even interlocking shapes can be used to connect the two rails. The modular construction has a bottom base or wall assembly that supports a corded shade and another assembly that carries a roller shade. I prefer that at least one assembly contains an attractively curved front wall that hides the lifting mechanisms and the roller from the observer. The roller shade profile or rail is supported by the brackets which are mounted to the building. The end caps are connected to the end of this rail and support the roller shade tube and also hide the lift mechanisms from the end view. The wall brackets engage the roller shade rail or profile instead of the end caps and therefore give the installer more options on placement of screws. This arrangement should allow the roller shade to be installed and adjusted first before attaching the corded shade. It may be desirable to install just the roller shade and have the option to add the corded shade later. This is helpful in many situations, where a homeowner may be building a new home or simply remodeling and would prefer to wait until the other decorative elements of the room such as the carpet, paint, wallpaper or furniture are in place before they select the front or corded shade. Some customers may even wish to change the front shade seasonally to match different solar lighting conditions or just to change the mood of the room to match the season.
It is also useful to a fabricator or retailer to use the same inventory to provide a roller shade alone. This also creates a future sales opportunity to add a corded shade. Embodiments having the front wall which faces the room as a part of the roller shade assembly are particularly useful in this case when the customer wants to install the roller shade alone since the front wall provides a valance to hide the roller.
Embodiments where the front wall is attached to the corded shade base provides a means for readily wrapping that front face with the same fabric as the corded shade. This gives the decorator the option of selecting a painted front wall or wrapping the front wall to match or accent the corded shade which is also in front.
The modular concept allows the retailer a unique sales opportunity. The combination of a roller shade with a corded shade allows the advantage of one product to offset the disadvantages of the other. Roller shade fabric can be very inexpensive and is readily available in different densities such as opaque, translucent, and even transparent. It can be made of materials that won""t allow water vapor to pass through. Roller shades are more easily side-sealed because of their two dimensional character. Corded shades have excellent edge clearance and a tremendous variety of materials that can be used. Stacking or storage formats can accommodate different fullnesses and presentations. Finally, the decorator can use one to accent or modify the other. Such as a deep green roller shade that is viewed through a delicate white burn-out sheer roman.
Of course, layering different products to achieve depth, variety, and a greater range of light control has been done for many years. However, the modular systems affords a retailer and the homeowner greater convenience by placing similar operational controls in front of both shades on what appears to be a single headrail for easy access and allows the shades to be installed effectively in the same space for fitting the smaller casings of modem multipane windows. Finally, the convenience of easy installation and removal allows the retailer to present the consumer with mix and match options that can proceed in stages as the homeowners needs change. A home builder might include the roller shades with the house when it is built and then let the buyers select the corded shade when they have moved in.
The add-on and mix/match character of the product is so convenient for the consumer and the retailer that buying and selling a window covering in stages becomes a practical and desirable option and corded product categories can be xe2x80x9caccessorizedxe2x80x9d by adding a roller shade xe2x80x9clinerxe2x80x9d as an option.